1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to network-based remote control technology, and more particularly, to a network-based remotely-controlled power switch device which can be coupled to an electricity-powered system, such as a personal computer (PC), a TV, or a video recorder, to allow the electricity-powered system to be powered ON or OFF through remote control by a remote computer system via a network system, such as Internet, Ethernet, or PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network).
2. Description of Related Art
The Internet is a widely used computer network system which allows users to browse Web sites, gain access to worldwide databases, chat with leach other, and send E-mails, to name a few. In addition, the Internet can be used as a medium for remote control of the ON/OFF of an electricity-powered system, such as a PC, a TV, or a video recorder.
It is an objective of this invention to provide a network-based remotely-controlled power switch device, which allows a user without an Internet account to be nevertheless able to use a remote PC system for remote power control of an electricity-powered system.
It is another objective of this invention to provide a network-based remotely-controlled power switch device, which allows the user to perform scheduled ON/OFF control to an electricity-powered system.
In accordance with the foregoing and other objectives, a novel network-based remotely controlled power switch device is proposed.
The network-based remotely-controlled power switch device of the invention is designed for use with an electricity-powered system and a power source to allow a remote PC system to control the ON/OFF of the electricity-powered system via the Internet, the Ethernet, or the PSTN.
Broadly defined, the network-based remotely-controlled power switch device of the invention includes the following system components: (a) a main control unit; (b) an Ethernet interface, under control of the main control unit and externally connected to the Ethernet, for controlling the data communication between the Ethernet and the main control unit; (c) a modem interface, control of the main control unit and externally connected via a modem to the PSTN, for controlling the data communication between the modem and the main control unit; (d) a clock unit capable of generating a time signal representative of the current time; (e) a Web server capable of serving up a remote-control Web page which provides a set of user-settable ON/OFF control options for remote power control of the electricity-powered system; and (f) a switch unit having an input and connected to the power source and as output end connected to the electricity-powered system; the switch unit being under control of the main control unit to control the ON/OFF of the connection between the power source and the electricity-powered system.
When the remote PC system is successfully linked via the Ethernet interface or via the modem interface to the main control unit, the main control unit requests the Web server to serve up the remote-control Web page and then transfers the remote-control Web page back to the remote PC system, allowing the remote PC to accept a user-specified ON/OFF control option and than transfer the user specified ON/OFF control option back to the main control unit. In response to the user-specified ON/OFF control option, the main control unit accordingly issues an ON/OFF signal to the switch unit to cause the switch unit to control the ON/OFF of the electricity-powered system.
The invention allows a user without an Internet account to be nevertheless able to use a remote PC system for remote ON/OFF control of the electricity-powered system, and also allows the user to perform scheduled ON/OFF control to the electricity-powered system so that the electricity-powered system can be automatically powered ON or OFF at a specified time.